Advantage Of Using J-1 Visa Or F-1 OPT Interns In Small/Medium Size Hotels By A. H. Lostocco

www.internship4america.com

Large hotels and resorts commonly use internship programs and interns throughout their operation. Many have elaborate programs employing 50 to 75 interns at any given time. But as you move down in hotel size you see less and less interns at the hotels. This is even true for the large Chain hotels that are managing some of their own smaller facilities. Why? When you consider that the benefits to the hotel and intern actually increase as you go down in hotel size.

Why Small & Medium Hotels Do Not Use Interns In Their Hotels

The primary reason is that the smaller hotels do not have the Human Resource (HR) staff to find, screen and hire interns. In addition the HR department is too busy to assist the new intern with their cultural adjustments, identifying temporary housing needs, and other needs that a new visitor to the US would have. All these functions create additional burden on an already busy Human Resource and/ or General Manager who are dealing with in-house operational problems, staff issues and constant turnover.

How Small & Medium Size Hotels Can Overcome The Obstacles To Employing Interns

There are organizations (ours is an example) that have programs primarily designed to assist smaller hotels interested in using interns in their day-to-day operation. These organizations will assist with identifying, screening, and interviewing potential candidates. Further they will assist the candidates you choose with accumulating and preparing the documents required for them to obtain their J-1 visa and walk them through the process with minimal hotel management involvement. Some will assist in identifying housing or roommate opportunities and provide some level of mentoring through the cultural adjustment period.

Benefits To A Small Or Medium Size Hotels In Using Interns

This without a doubt is either the best-kept secret or the most misunderstood concept of using interns because done properly this can be a win-win for the hotel and for the trainee. Every benefit to the hotel results in $$$$$ saved;

1. Turnover is a major problem in small hotels. Using interns is a great way of reducing the turnover and controlling it. The trainee is committed to you by the US State Department that they cannot go down the street and take another job for $0.25 more (They can leave but they have to return home). The program gives you control of your turnover because you know when the intern is scheduled to return home so you can plan in advance to have a replacement ready. This helps you to reduce your overtime because you have fewer occasions when an employee ups and quits.

2. Some small hotels if they have the space available house their one, two or three interns on-site. This allows them to pay a lower wage reducing out-of-pocket costs. It also provides the hotel with tremendous staffing flexibility since the staff is readily available on-site. In addition the hotel can reduce cost by using a room that does not generate adequate revenue or is not appealing to its clients.

3. The US State Department requires that these trainees have to have their own health insurance. That is a cost you are not required to bear. In addition you are exempt from paying FICA and FUTA taxes for this classification of employee.

4. As a small hotel you are often condemned to taking local employees without any hotel training and have to train them on your procedures, computer systems and most importantly on customer service. Often times once they´re trained they move to the hotel next door for a few more dollars. International interns come with one or two backgrounds (Mandated by the US State Department), they either have a degree in Hospitality Management and/ or a minimum of 5-years hospitality related experience. This is a big benefit, few small hotels can say they have staff with these kinds of credentials.

Benefits To Interns In Training In A Small Or Medium Size Hotel

We often spend time with potential interns explaining the enormous benefits of training in a small hotel. The big hotels cannot give an intern the exposure that a smaller hotel can. Here are some advantages you can use to explain to a potential intern candidate for your hotel.

1. You will get more personalized attention and supervision while you are learning

2. You will have greater opportunity to move quickly into a management slot because there are fewer employees to compete with.

3. You will be able to rotate to all the departments and to find the area you excel in. Many large hotels will only allow you to experience three areas and they will place you where they need you the most.

4. You will have the opportunity to get involved with a greater variety of problems and have the opportunity to have your ideas and thoughts heard.

Let me finish with an example. About 9-months ago we had a young man from India that we placed in a small hotel here in Atlanta. The manager of the hotel who was his boss also had responsibility for two other hotels. As it turned out the bosses schedule became so busy and because of his outstanding performance he quickly became the assistant manager. In a larger hotel he would never have been given this opportunity this quickly.

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact me directly at lostocco1@internship4america.com. If you would like to review some of my other articles on instituting an internship program you´ll find them listed at www.internship4america.com.

Alexander H. Lostocco